The Food Standards Agency has been informed that a number of meat pies and pasties supplied to prisons in England and Wales were labelled and served as Halal but contained traces of pork DNA. The local authority is investigating how this contamination came about and whether these products have been distributed further across the UK.

This is an unacceptable situation and people have a right to expect that the food they are eating is correctly described. We have called an urgent meeting of major retailers and suppliers on Monday 4 February, to ensure that everyone is fully aware of their responsibilities.

It is the responsibility of food businesses to ensure the food they sell contains what it says on the label.

We are considering, with the local authority, whether legal action is appropriate following the investigation.